TABLE 10-4 -- Emerging Patterns of Behavior During the 1st Yr of Life

Neonatal Period (1st 4 Wk)

Lies in flexed attitude; turns head from side to side; head sags on ventral
suspension
Supine: Generally flexed and a little stiff
Visual: May fixate face or light in line of vision; “doll's-eye&” movement of eyes
on turning of the body
Reflex: Moro response active; stepping and placing reflexes; grasp reflex active
Social: Visual preference for human face
At 4 Wk
Prone: Legs more extended; holds chin up; turns head; head lifted momentarily
to plane of body on ventral suspension
Supine: Tonic neck posture predominates; supple and relaxed; head lags on pull
to sitting position
Visual: Watches person; follows moving object
Social: Body movements in cadence with voice of other in social contact;
beginning to smile
At 8 Wk
Prone: Raises head slightly farther; head sustained in plane of body on ventral
suspension
Supine: Tonic neck posture predominates; head lags on pull to sitting position
Visual: Follows moving object 180 degrees
Social: Smiles on social contact; listens to voice and coos
At 12 Wk
Prone: Lifts head and chest, arms extended; head above plane of body on
ventral suspension
Supine: Tonic neck posture predominates; reaches toward and misses objects;
waves at toy
Sitting: Head lag partially compensated on pull to sitting position; early head
control with bobbing motion; back rounded
Reflex: Typical Moro response has not persisted; makes defensive movements
or selective withdrawal reactions
Social: Sustained social contact; listens to music; says “aah, ngah”
At 16 Wk
Prone: Lifts head and chest, head in approximately vertical axis; legs extended
Supine: Symmetric posture predominates, hands in midline; reaches and grasps
objects and brings them to mouth
Sitting: No head lag on pull to sitting position; head steady, tipped forward;
enjoys sitting with full truncal support
Standing: When held erect, pushes with feet
Adaptive: Sees pellet, but makes no move to it
Social: Laughs out loud; may show displeasure if social contact is broken;
excited at sight of food
At 28 Wk
Prone: Rolls over; pivots; crawls or creep-crawls (Knobloch)
Supine: Lifts head; rolls over; squirming movements
Sitting: Sits briefly, with support of pelvis; leans forward on hands; back rounded
Standing: May support most of weight; bounces actively
Adaptive: Reaches out for and grasps large object; transfers objects from hand to
hand; grasp uses radial palm; rakes at pellet
Language: Polysyllabic vowel sounds formed
Social: Prefers mother; babbles; enjoys mirror; responds to changes in emotional
content of social contact
At 40 Wk
Sitting: Sits up alone and indefinitely without support, back straight
Standing: Pulls to standing position; “cruises” or walks holding on to furniture
Motor: Creeps or crawls
Adaptive: Grasps objects with thumb and forefinger; pokes at things with
forefinger; picks up pellet with assisted pincer movement; uncovers hidden toy;
attempts to
retrieve dropped object; releases object grasped by other person
Language: Repetitive consonant sounds (mama, dada)
Social: Responds to sound of name; plays peek-a-boo or pat-a-cake; waves bye-
bye
At 52 Wk (1 Yr)
Motor: Walks with one hand held (48 wk); rises independently, takes several
steps (Knobloch)
Adaptive: Picks up pellet with unassisted pincer movement of forefinger and
thumb; releases object to other person on request or gesture
Language: A few words besides “mama,” “dada”
Social: Plays simple ball game; makes postural adjustment to dressing